It’s the last week of November! Here are all the things Team OLA got up to last week.  

My colleague Lily and I kicked things off by meeting with VIMLOC to talk about mentorship opportunities. They’re doing such thoughtful work in the sector, and I’m excited about how we might collaborate to support visible minority library workers. 

Welcome to mid-November! The snow has melted in Toronto, and the holiday creamy vanilla Coke Zero is on the shelves – my favourite time of year.

Last week was another busy one that started off with two national-level meetings: the LAC Stakeholders Forum and the LAC AI Community of Practice.

How is it already mid-November? I’m not sure how we got here, but last week was a full and fascinating one. 

I started the week with a visit to the new Markham Campus of York University, where I got a tour of the stunning new library and its incredible makerspace.

Can you believe it’s already November? October disappeared in a blur of library love — and last week was all about pulling together a recap of our amazing Library Month celebrations. My colleague Lily just sent out a newsletter with all the highlights, photos, and stories from across the province. Thanks again to everyone who joined the festivities and helped showcase the magic of Ontario’s libraries. 

What. A. Week. 

Ontario Public Library Week was a whirlwind of events, celebrations, and community pride. Across the province, libraries rolled out incredible programming that showcased just how much they mean to their communities — story times, art exhibits, open houses, and probably more sheet cake than I should have had. Thank you to every library that participated and helped remind Ontarians that libraries truly are for life. 

One of the things I love most about this role is that I get to spend a lot of time learning from other library leaders — both close to home and across the world. Last week, I attended the IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Section Conference, hosted right here by the Toronto Public Library. The program focused on how libraries can help combat social isolation and support healthy democracies — two topics that feel more important than ever.